Braiding machine for endless belts or the like



Oct. 26, 1948. J. M. MARTI 2,452,136

BRAIDING MACHINE FOR ENDLESS BELTS OR THE LIKE Filed June 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNE' Y Oct. 26, 1948. J. M. MARTI BBAIDING MACHIN FOR ENDLESS BELTS OR THE LIKE Filed June 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNl/EN TOR JoAou/N MONT/1M2" MMT/ ATTORNEY .Oct. 26, 1948. J. M. MART] BRAIDING MACHINE FOR ENDLESS BELTS 0R rHE LIKE Filed June 5, 1947 3 She ets-Sheet 3 A T TORNE Y Patented Oct. 26, 1948 BBAIDING MACHINE FOR ENDLESS BELTS OR THE LIKE Joaquin Montane Marti, New York, N. Y., assignor to. The Cordwares Company, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 5, 1947, Serial No. 752,595

9 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of power transmission ,belts, particularly that class of belts known as endless and sometimes referredto in the textile trade as ,bands which are employed for supplying power to the spindles of textile machines and the like where a substantially uniform light power drive is required. In United StatesLetters Patent 2,078,678 issued to me April 27, 1937, I disclosed and claimed a process for manufacturing elastic power transmission belts of this general character and the present invention is directed to a novel machine for applying the braided textile cover to an endless core or ring in the manufacture of such belts.

It is recognized that braiding machines comprising a plurality of bobbin carriers movable along interlaced serpentine paths, with mechanism for progressively and automatically moving the carriers are well known, being in generaluse in the manufacture of either fiat or tubular braid and for weaving a braided covering progressively on a wire, cord or the like after one end of it has been passed through the machine. These machines, however, are incapable of applying such coverings to endless belts, rings or the like as they cannot receive a core to which braid is to be applied except by leading an end thereof through the machine substantially axially of the circle defined by the gear train which actuates the braid-forming bobbin carriers.

It is thus a principal object of the invention to provide a braiding machine adapted to apply a braided or generally similar fibrous or textile covering or sheath to an endless, preferably elastic inner core or ring in the manufacture of endless belts such as those to which my said prior patent relates.

A further object is to provide in a machine of this character means whereby a portion of the endless core or ring to be covered may be readily entered within the closed circle of the gear train which actuates the bobbin carriers of the machine, and after being moved through at least one complete circuit of a closed path partly extending along the axis of that circle during progressive formation of a braided covering on it may be as readily removed from the machine, whereby the core may be fully covered with a continuous tubular braid in which the last applied stitches may overlap those first applied if desired, in the production of endless braid covered transmission belts or the like.

Other purposes, objects and advantages of the invention and the manner in which they may 2 be realized in a braiding machine of a well known general type will more fully appear from the following particular description of one embodiment of the invention during which reference will be had to the accompanying drawings.

Since the invention is concerned principally with providing means whereby an endless belt core or ring may be introduced to the machine preparatory to forming a braided covering thereon and subsequently removed after having been covered with braid, the braid forming parts of the machine may be of any suitable or desired specific construction adapted for performance of the braidingoperation in the ordinary way; and consequently in the drawings, .1 have shown only such of saidparts as are required for a ready comprehension of the invention.

In the said drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary partially diagrammatic diametral vertical section of the generalassembly of the machine illustrating the manner in which an endless belt core or ring may' .be supported therein while being progressively covered with braid;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section of the machine in which its top bed plate is shown in plan; r v

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of that portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section thereof ona plane just below the top bed plate shown in Fig. 2, in which the bobbin carrier actuating mechanism appears in plan;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section on a still lower plane illustrating a portion of the bottom bed plate in plan; and v Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective of a portion of. the top bed plate illustrating the opera! tion of mechanism provided for accommodating in the machine endlessbelt cores or rings of greater than usual diameter or thickness.

Referring now more particularly toFig. 1, as has been indicated the machine fragmentarily illustrated therein includes certain auxiliary mechanisms, not shown, as for example, in'addition to two bobbin carriers C a number of other generally similar ones, the totalnumber correspondingto the number of yarn ends employed in making, the braid. The machine which supports and'actuates these several carriers comprisesin general two substantially parallel bed plates, a top. plate I and a bottom plate 2 between which aitrain of gears 3 operates; Eachof these gears meshes with its, adjacent companion gears and carries below thetop plate a plurality of horns 4 which overlap onadjacent gears and these paths 8, 9, by which they are guided as lugs L at their lower ends engage successively in slots H between adjacent horns lof the gears; in the braiding the carriers are thus progressively passed from one gear to another and moved around the machine in the serpentine paths, some moving clockwise in one path whiletl ieremainder move counterclockwise in the other. Each carrier, in addition to supporting the bobbin of yarn'Y, includes means, not shown, for insuring a suitable tension on the yarn, for allowing'it to be drawn evenly therefrom, and usually for stopping the machine operation should the yarn ,break. The gears 3 of course are driven from a suitable power source to bring about the appropriate motions of the several bobbin carriers in suitably coordinated relation with the operation of draft mechanism which moves the core past the braiding point.

t In accordance with the invention the outer ring partof topplate I preferably at the front of the machine is provided'with aslot' [5 extending gene'rally radially of the plate from an edge of one serpentine path'8 substantiallyin theradial plane of one of the gear studsB' outward to the plate edge, and another slot I6 is extended from the correspondin inner edge of the other serpentine path '9 inwardly to' the center hole I"! in the inner part ofthe plate. The gear 3' which rotates aboutstud 6 is not exactly like the other gears S' on'their severalstuds B in that the gear itself has a radial slot I 8 interruptingits periphery and preferably eliminating not more than about two gearteeth', this slot being aligned with one of the carrier lug receiving slots ll between the superja'cent gear horns and being large enough to accommodate the full thickness of a covered-core. To prevent a core being caught between two teeth of gear 3 instead of entered in slot [8, a

circular plate '21 of slightly largerdiameter than the tops of the gear teeth'and; having a slot 22 corresponding to and registering "with slot 18 is secured at-the under face of gear a The bottom bed plate 2, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5, is provided with a slot 26 which at its outer and inner ends corresponds toand registers with slots 15,16 in the top plate while an intermediate portion 26 substantially describes a semicircle the inner edge of which is congruent with a corresponding arc of the circle described by the bottom of slot l8 ingear 3, its outer edge being substantially congruent with an arc of the maxi mum radius of that gear.

The slots'in the bed plates as just described together with parts of serpentine paths 8, 9, provide a path for access and egress to and from the center of the machine of a portion of the endless belt core to be covered with braid, or of the core after its braid covering has been applied, and to accommodate cores of larger than usual cross-sectional diameter, i. e. diameter greater than the minimum normal width of the serpentine paths 8, 9, quoit l overlying gear 3 includes a hinged segment 30 normally defining a part of the peripheral edge of the quoit and hence portions of said paths 8, 9 but adapted when raised about its pivots 3| to the position indicated in Fig. 5 to afiord wider than normal spaces in said portions for passage of the core to or from the machine.

To prevent interference with the travel of the bobbin carriers past the ends of slots l5 and I6 where they intersect the serpentine paths 8, 9 I provide stops 33, 34 respectively carried on radial arms 35, 36 projecting from the ends of vertical spring biased rods 31, 38 extending through both plates. The springs 39, 40 at the lower ends of these rods, having their ends respectively fixed in sockets in the lower surface of the bottom plate and connected to the rods by cotter pins 4!, 42, urge the rods r-otatively to move the stops away from the ends of their corresponding slots when raised therefrom and also urge the rods axially downward so that the stops automatically descend into the slots when subsequently realigned therewith. For raising the rods to allow the stops to clear the slots I provide a manually operated lever rod 45, hung on brackets 46 from the bottom plate and-having secured to it beneath the plate spaced fingers 41, 48 respectively adapted when the lever rod is rotated by hand lever 49 to lift the stop rods and thus allow their springs to rotate them and move the stops away from the slots as soon as they clearthe upper face of the top plate. To enable the carriers to thereafter move normally without requiring manual replacement of the stops, springs 39, 40 are preferably adjusted so thatv the stops are not moved outside the paths of projecting portions of the carriers; thus they are returned to their slots automatically by the first carriers reachingthem in cooperation with the axial-bias of the springs when the carriers are set in motion.

To support the core while being braided apair of'spaced pulleys or sheaves 50, 51 are hung from the bottom plate adjacent the slots for rotation in the same vertical plane as a pair of similar pulleys 52, 53 supported on fixed axes above the machine from any suitable fixture or part, while another-pulley 54 also inthe same plane is rotatableabout a spindle 55 adjustably supported for horizontal translation in a slotted arm 56 carried bya bracket 51 projecting upward from i the machine bed, the capacityof pulley 54 for adjustment enabling the machine to accommodate cores of difierent circumferential lengths, or one of given length to be supported at substantially any desired tension when in position on the several pulleys; while in the drawings the pulleys are shown aligned with the plate slots it will be appreciated they maybe, angularly offset therefrom if desired, provided all rotate in substantially the same plane and-pulley 5| is positioned to feed the core upwardly through the center of the machine.

The insertionof a belt core and its removal from the machine after being covered with braid will now be-explained .in detail, the accomplishment of these 'operations'being one of the primary objectives of the invention. For convenience it will be assumed stops 33, 34 have been raised'and cleared from slots l5, l6 and the ma-- chine has been stopped .at a point where slot iii in gear 3' is aligned with slot 15 in the top plate and thus substantiallyin the position illustrated in Fig. 4. A portion of core Xto be covered is now manually entered into slots 15,18 and 26 from the edges of the bed plates. Gear 3' is next rotated clockwise in Fig.4 for about thereby carrying the core past adjacent gear 3, the radial depth of slot l8 enabling the core to escape damaging contact with the teeth of said gear. Adjacent portions of the core are carried through the superjacent portions of serpentine paths 8, 9 and through the semi-circular portion of slot 26 in. the lower plate respectively as gear 3' is rotated and when the 180 arc has been completed the core is slid further through slots l6 and 26 into the center holes in the bed plates. It is then fitted to the grooves in the several pul- 1eys'5fl54 .and assumes substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 1. Automatic braiding is now begun by leading the ends of the yarn from allthe bobbin carriers to the core at about the braiding point B as the carriers are set in motion in the usual manner for starting the operation of a braiding machine of this type, and as the 'initial. passage of the firstbobbin carrier past stops 33, 34 in either direction restoresthe latter automatically to normal position the braiding operation continues automatically as in standard machines, suitable draft mechanism, not shown, which may be of'any usual type being provided for drawing the core X around its path over the pulleys in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 as the braid covering is formed progressively on it.

When cores for elastic transmission belts of the character shown in my said patent arefbeing covered with braid on the machine herein disclosed I usually prefer to provide double thickness of braid and in such case the braiding is continued until two complete layers, preferably with a slight overlap at the end, are formed, at which time the operation of the machine as a whole may be stopped, the yarn ends out off and the braid covered core removed.

Of course, to remove the covered core to enable it to be transferred successively to impregnating and to vulcanizing apparatus or subjected to Whatever other further treatment may be desired, the entering operation is substantially reversed, that is, after the machine has been stopped, lever 49 is first operated to raise stops l5, Hi from their slots, enabling their springs to swing them out of the way and the gear train is actuated if necessary to bring slot l8 in gear 3 into registry with slot 16. Pulley 54 may now be slid inwardly in arm 56 to relieve the tension on the core if desired although the elasticity of the core usually renders this unnecessary, the braid covered core is removed from the pulleys and from the draft mechanism mentioned, a portion of the core slid outwardly in slots 16 and 26 and entered in slot l8 of gear 3' and the gear train is then operated in reverse direction to move gear 3 through 180 counterclockwise in Figs. 2 and 4, bringing the covered core outside the circle of the gears of the machine from which it may now be entirely freed by withdrawal through slots I5 and 26. It will be evident that the provision of plate 2| on gear 3 with its slot 22 registering with slot [8 of the gear is a safety feature which prevents a core either before or after covering being inadvertently entered into a tooth space of gear 3 instead of slot l8, as if it were so entered and the gear train then operated it might be severed upon encountering those teeth of adjacent gear 3 meshing with the teeth of gear 3, or the gears, their hearings or other parts might be damaged.

It will of course be understood that while I have selected for purposes of illustrating the invention a braiding machine preferably equipped with eight carriers to form diamond or basket stitch braid, the principles of the invention may likewise be embodied in machines of other capacities and types, and the specific stitch or weave employed is of course discretionary. 2

"While I have thus described the invention with considerable particularity asits advantages may be realized'in the manufacture of a specific belt or ring. adapted for transmitting power to spindles' in textile machinery or the like, and while'that embodiment of'it illustrated in the drawings and to which I have referred is a convenient and practical one for economically and satisfactorily providing the braided coverings of belts of this kind, other embodiments of the invention; as well as numerous changes in the form, construction and relationship of the several parts of the one illustrated will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be made if desired without-departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. A braiding machine of the character de* with said openings substantially similar relatively rotatively displaced serpentine paths completely surrounding a central hole in the plate, the plate having a slot extending from said hole to one of said-paths and another slot radially aligned with the first. slot' and extendingfrom the'other path to the edge of the plate, movable stops respectively adjacent the intersections of the slots and paths adapted to enter the respective slots, a rod supporting each stop and a spring biasing each rod in a direction to turn the stop clear of the adjacent slot when the stop is moved out of alignment with the plate and to return the stop to the slot and into alignment with the plate when the stop is realigned with the slot.

2. A braiding machine of the character described comprising a bed plate having adjacent intercommunicating openings, quoits defining with said openings substantially similar relatively rotatively displaced serpentine paths completely surrounding a central hole in the plate, the plate having a slot extending from said hole to one of said paths and another slot radially aligned with the first slot and extending from the other path to the edge of the plate, movable stops respectively adjacent the intersections of the slots and paths adapted to enter the respective slots, means supporting each stop for movement transversely of the plate into and out of its slot and for movement also into and out of alignment therewith, means operable to move both stops transversely out of the slots, and means for thereafter moving them out of alignment therewith.

3. A braiding machine according to claim 2 comprising means for supporting an endless core after passage through said slots to said hole for progressive circumferential movement of any point thereon through said hole to a braiding point thereabove and thence beyond the edge of said plate and again through said hole in the same direction during progressive application of aligned with the hole therein, studs projecting from the bottom plate respectively into said openings and supporting the quoitsandaplurality of ears forming a continuous train-rotatable on the studs between thequoits and the bottom plate, .one of .said ears having a general-lyrradial slot extending from its edge substantially beyond the root circle of its teeth, the outer ring-of the ;.top plate and the bottom plate having rectilinear slots extending from their peripheries to substantial alignment with the path traversed by said first mentioned slot when said gear is rotating, said element and the bottom plate having rectilinearslots extending from substantial alignment with said path to said centrallholes, the bottom plate having also a substantially semicircular slot interconnecting the ends of the rectilinear slots therein and substantially aligned with-a portion of saidpath. I

*5. A braiding machine according to claim 4 wherein the plate slots are materially wider than the normal width of the serpentine-paths comprising a hinged peripheral segment pivoted to .the quoit supported from that stud which carries said slotted .gea-r, normally defining portions-10f said serpentine paths and adapted :when moved on its pivots out of alignment with'the quoit to afford greater than normal width to said portions. v 1

6. A braiding machine according to claim 4 .comprising a substantially circular plate rotatable 8 withsaid Vs'lottedsgear, of greater di-ameterthan the gear and having a radial slot aligned with .the slot in the gear. I l

7. A braidingmachine according to claim 4 comprising a vplurality of pulleys rotatable in a plane normal to the planes of the plates adapted to receive an endless flexible core to be provided with a braid covering and to progressively guide said score fortpassage through the holes in the plates and past a braiding point on the machine. -18. A braiding machine according to claim 4 comprising movable stops adapted for positioning in and adjacent the ends of the rectilinear slots in the inner and outer parts of the top ,plate to interrupt said slots and thereby define portions .of the serpentine paths at the ends of said slots. .9. A braiding machine according to claim 8 comprising means for simultaneously moving both stops out of their respective slots, and other means for then moving them out of transverse alignmenttherewith.

JOAQUIN MONTANE MARTI.

' REFERENCES CITED -The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Beya Feb. 3, 1925 

